GOI ON DAYTON ARMS CONTROLS NEXT STEPS

C O N F I D E N T I A L ROME 000144

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EUR/SCE, EUR/RPM, EUR/WE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/14/2013
TAGS: PARM PREL BK HR SR IT OSCE
SUBJECT: GOI ON DAYTON ARMS CONTROLS NEXT STEPS

REF: STATE 5730

CLASSIFIED BY: A/POLITICAL MINISTER COUNSELOR GARY ROBBINS. REASON: 1.
5 (B)(D).


1. (C) ACCORDING TO MFA OSCE OFFICE DIRECTOR FABIO
CRISTIANI, THE GOI CONCURS WITH USG POLICY OBJECTIVES FOR THE
DAYTON ARMS CONTROL AGREEMENT FOR THE NEXT 12-18 MONTHS AS
OUTLINED REFTEL. HE TOLD POLOFF ON DECEMBER 10 THAT HE
AGREED WITH THE NEED FOR CONTACT GROUP PRESSURE ON THE
PARTIES FOR PROGRESS ON ARTICLE IV ISSUES. HOWEVER, THE GOI
WOULD RATHER NOT LINK THE TIMELINE FOR PROGRESS TO GEN.
ZAPPULLA'S MANDATE AS OSCE PERSONAL REPRESENTATIVE.
ZAPPULLA'S TERM IN OFFICE "DEPENDS ON MANY FACTORS" CONTINUED
CRISTIANI, AND WE SHOULD NOT ALLOW A CHANGE IN THAT TERM TO
GIVE THE PARTIES AN EXCUSE FOR LACK OF PROGRESS. THE CONTACT
GROUP SHOULD PRESENT TO THE PARTIES A 12-18 MONTH ENDPOINT
WITH MEASURABLE BENCHMARKS, WITH NO LINK TO ZAPPULLA'S
DEPARTURE.


2. (C) THE GOI AGREES WITH THE USG CURRENT EVALUATION ON
ABUSE OF THE EXCEPTIONS REGIME, BUT IS LESS PESSIMISTIC ON
FUTURE PROGRESS. BASED ON ZAPPULLA'S OWN RECENT EVALUATION,
CRISTIANI HOPED THAT STATE INSPECTIONS COULD BEGIN THIS
SPRING. SIMILARLY ON DECOMMISSIONING, THE GOI AGREES THAT
THE PARTIES SHOULD MOVE UP THE AGREED DATE FOR ELIMINATING
EQUIPMENT, BUT WONDERED WHETHER THIS ACCELERATION WOULD
REQUIRE ADDITIONAL FUNDS, AND WHERE THOSE FUNDS WOULD COME
FROM. NONETHELESS, THE GOI WOULD JOIN ANY CONTACT GROUP
EFFORTS TO ACCELERATE THESE PROCESSES.


3. (C) CRISTIANI THOUGHT THAT THIS WAS ALSO A GOOD TIME TO
MOVE ARTICLE II RESPONSIBILITIES TO THE OSCE MISSION IN
SARAJEVO. HE FORESAW NO PROBLEM WITH OTHER CG MEMBERS
(INCLUDING WITH RUSSIA) IN IMPLEMENTING THIS PROPOSAL.
SKODON